121 Non-Conventional Foot Tattoo Designs You Should Consider

Tattoos are starting to become ubiquitous. You can see them on men, on women, and almost everywhere you look there will be one person who has a tattoo on their body somewhere. By now, you probably know that you can design your foot tattoo in any way you like. But if you’re still looking for ideas, then these ____ tattoos can help you design a tattoo that you’ll love.

Does A Foot Tattoo Hurt?

Before anything else, it’s best to know if a foot tattoo is going to hurt. It’s no secret that tattoos can hurt and feel uncomfortable especially if it’s your first time. You also have to know that a tattoo’s pain depends on your pain tolerance level and the placement.

When it comes to foot tattoos, it can be considered that this area falls under the more painful placements. This is because your foot has thin skin. Notice how you can see the bones and you can easily trace out where the bones are even if you don’t move your feet. Take a look at this picture. You will notice that you can almost see the nerves just underneath the skin. This is another reason why it’s painful to get a tattoo here.

Here’s another example of how thin your skin can be in this area.

So now your pain expectations have been managed and you still want to get a foot tattoo, then it’s time to pick your design.

121 Tattoo Designs To Put On Your Foot

Completely out of ideas? Or you just haven’t found the perfect design? Here’s a compilation of all the foot tattoo designs you can ever think of. After scrolling down, there is bound to be at least one design that would have caught your eye.

1. Jesus Saves

It might seem unconventional, but religious tattoos are quite popular with a lot of people. For Christians, Jesus Christ is the role model of humility, love, and sacrifice. Having a religious tattoo, like Christ, is a show of one’s love and devotion to his or her religion. It can also mean that the person seeks to follow Christ.

2. Adorable Elephants

Elephants are known to be giant-like mammals roam around the forest. Most people only get to see domesticated elephants which somehow erases what they really mean. In other Asian cultures, elephants are known to be symbols of longevity and wisdom.

3. Light As A Feather

Feathers are one of the lightest objects you can ever encounter. Even holding a feather barely makes you feel anything. A feather strategically placed on the foot can mean that there is lightness in every step.

Here are some feather designs you can consult with:

4. Climb Every Mountain

One of the most beautiful landforms you can ever encounter are mountains or mountain ranges. A single mountain tattoo means that a person has gone through a very challenging experience. A mountain range, on the other hand, shows continuous struggle or an uphill and downhill journey.

5. Bloom Like A Rose

The rose is one of the most popular flowers that are used for tattoo inspirations. A rose’s meaning differs based on their color. This red rose is often a symbol of love and passion. You can attribute this to the color red which is universally known as the color for love.

Unlike the red rose which is often seen in a number of gardens, a blue rose is almost impossible to find. This is why a blue rose symbolizes dreams and goals that are nearly impossible to achieve.

You can also get inspiration from these tattoo designs.

6. Get Mad

When it comes to tattoos, you don’t have to pretend that you are composed or normal. In fact, the more unique and creative your tattoo is, the more it will make an impact. You can start by admitting that you, too, can be mad. Here’s Alice in Wonderland’s mysterious and keen Cheshire Cat!

7. The Mysteries of the Rosary

The Holy Rosary is one of the symbols and objects that unite Catholics. You’ll be surprised at the number of people who are faithful to the rosary that they even put them on their bodies. The rosary is the physical representation of prayer as people follow the life and struggle of Christ. One of the most popular placements for a rosary is the foot area.

8. I Love You ‘Til Infinity

The infinity symbol is often associated with undying love. Although you can always use this symbol to show your devotion and loyalty to your loved one, you can also use this to show your promise to your circle of friends that you’ll never leave each other.

9. The Sound of Music

If you’re a music lover, then you’ll find that this musical tattoo perfectly depicts creativity in music. Not only is it complete with musical notes and a staff, but it also has a splash of color that shows how fun and bright musical compositions can be.

10. Inspire Others

Whether you want to have a pick-me-up mantra or you just want to inspire people who see it, this tattoo can do just that. Coupled with a bright red apple that symbolizes knowledge, this tattoo is able to relay the message “let your knowledge inspire others”. Hopefully, this urges you to start sharing your thoughts.

Here are some quotes you might find inspiring too!

11. Shine Like Crystals

In spite of being a popular accessory to women, crystal tattoos are not very popular. However, you can always go with a non-conventional design to vamp up the meaning of these crystals. You must know that as you search for the perfect crystal to fill your foot, make sure to do a bit of research about their meanings.

12. 7 is the Lucky Number

You’ve been told that seven is a lucky number. Across a number of cultures, the number 7 is not just lucky, but it also has a spiritual meaning. In some cultures, the number 7 means eternal. In the Bible itself, the number 7 has been mentioned so many times, usually in the Book of Revelations. Look at this tattoo. It has designed the number 7 in such a way that it both looks retro and classic at the same time.

13. Flowers in Bloom

Flowers are one of the most used tattoo designs and that’s because they are just plain beautiful. Take a look at this hibiscus flower. Hibiscus flowers are known for being bright red, orange, or yellow. In the case of this tattoo, the colors of the flowers were toned down so that they better suit the person’s skin tone.

Not to mention this hibiscus flower that has been colored like a fresh flower ready to enjoy the summer heat.

This rose doesn’t follow it’s usual color too. Usually, you’ll see roses in red or in white, but this tattoo’s color has a mix of blue and orange. A blue rose often means impossible or unattainable dreams, but couple it with orange and it adds more hope to the flower.

Take a look at these different flower tattoos too!

14. Be Your Very Own Sunflower

Sunflowers are known to be “happy flowers” because of their color. Just looking at them already makes you a little happier. Aside from being associated with happiness, a sunflower is a symbol of loyalty and admiration.

Compared to the first two sunflowers, this sunflower has a different color to it. It’s not too yellow, but it isn’t pale or dark either.

15. Cute Paw Prints

Perfect for adorable dogs, these paw prints are cute and unique at the same time. Having a small paw print makes inked in black is best suited for dog lovers who are sure to follow their dogs wherever they go.

16. A Permanent Henna

Henna tattoos aren’t just a kind of tattoo that doesn’t stay for long. It also refers to a kind of design similar to these:

Another thing to note about henna tattoos is that every place in the body has its own meaning. The symbolism for henna tattoos on the feet is extra special because it symbolizes the connection between man’s heart and mind to the earth.

17. The Next Cat Lady

Yes, Taylor Swift might have the title of the most popular Cat Lady, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be one too. Look at these subtle and simple cat tattoos that turn your heeled shoes to a more sophisticated look.

18. A Different Depiction of Love

Love is a many splendid thing, as the song goes. And just like there are so many ways for you to show love, there are also a lot of symbols and designs you can create to show love on a tattoo. Here are some of the ways you can show love.

Or these two words that obviously make someone feel very warm and comforted inside. Notice how the font adds to the feel the tattoo is giving. So when you want to put a tattoo that has words in it, make sure that the font matches what you want to relay.

19. Under the Sea

Your love for the sea shouldn’t just be limited to beaches and swimsuits. If you are also attracted to the sea creatures that live underwater, then this tattoo can be a great depiction of your attraction. This is a whale’s tail and a whale symbolizes protection of the seas.

You can also have your favorite plankton on your foot.

Or you can have this shark that is artistically shaded. Although this shark looks harmless, a shark tattoo symbolizes anger, ruthlessness, and hostility.

20. Friends Forever

Relationships aren’t all about love and romance. There are also relationships that are so meaningful that they deserve a mark on your body. Take, for example, this tattoo that shows a sister relationship. Instead of having a simple dedication, the tattoo has a minimalist heart design and a heartbeat rate.

Or this friendship bond that will never get broken even after death.

If you’re a dog lover, you can also find yourself obsessed with your dog’s cuteness. So to make sure that they’re always with you, you can have their faces and names tattooed on your feet. Just like this tattoo.

21. Your Very Own Animal Kingdom

Here’s a twist to the lion which is known as the king of the jungle thanks to Lion King. Among all the tattoos here, this is single-handedly one of the mythical styles you will barely see. Notice how the lion’s mane isn’t spread out, unlike the usual realistic versions.

Here’s a combination of two farm animals. On one foot is the adorable pig while on the other is a rooster. The pig often has negative meanings because they are associated with laziness and gluttony. However, domesticated pigs such as the one you see here can mean fertility. On the other hand, the rooster in Chinese cultures means honesty and good fortune. No wonder they are often placed in stores.

And you can also add birds into the mix. These bird tattoos look as if they took the term “lovebirds” to the next level.

Or this pair of mice that look like they are about to meet each other.

6 Different Ways To Add A Twist To Your Foot Tattoo

Inspired by the designs you’ve just seen? Make them your own by following these 6 tips.

1. Don’t be like the rest.

If you really want to stand out from a sea of flower tattoos and butterfly tattoos, then you definitely have to be a little more creative. Don’t think like the rest, and go look for an image that you don’t often see tattooed on someone else’s body. Take, for example, these ankle tattoos. There’s a barcode and there’s a die.

Here’s another unconventional tattoo. It’s so simple that you’ll wonder why a lot of people don’t make use of lines and curves. To add to that, the beauty in having unpopular tattoos is that more people will start to get curious about the meaning of your tattoo.

Looking for more non-conventional images? Here are some more:

Or what about this simple yet sophisticated star tattoo?

2. Don’t be too obvious.

Did you know that implicit tattoos are very underrated? You can attribute this to people who want to get immediate results. Say, if you have a tattoo that says “love” like the tattoo here, then it doesn’t leave much room for the mind to think about, right?

Compare the impact you got when you saw the tattoo below. It now makes you wonder what the significance of lead to the person is. Moreover, the symbolism of lead isn’t popular, so you’ll either have to look it up or ask the person with this kind of foot tattoo.

Here are more subtle tattoo designs for the creative person in you.

3. Play with outlines.

Outlines can be in the form of lines and curves that make up an image. However, instead of just having plain outlines, add a twist to how you design them. Take a look at this tattoo. The flower’s stem can just be like the usual stem, but the owner put a twist on it and made it look like a heartbeat. A heartbeat line is a good symbol for life and death. Look closely at the foot tattoo and you will notice that there are two dates. This can mean the start and end of a life.

Here’s another outline design that you’ll love. This deconstructed effect adds more beauty and impact to the image. However, this only works on images that are easy to make out. For example, this flower, even if the outline is separated, it’s obvious what it is. But this doesn’t work in all objects.

And then there’s a frog that has the outline and the print of the frog, but you don’t see it coming into full circle.

4. Be detailed.

Just to be clear, being detailed doesn’t mean that you have to make your design complicated. The danger in doing the latter is that the image will not beautiful and difficult to appreciate (although your goal shouldn’t be to impress anyone). Take a look at this tattoo. The flowers and the padlock are very detailed and yet they aren’t complicated to look at. The roses themselves have detailed shadings and colors that make the flowers more realistic.

Another detailed flower to appreciate is the dandelion. A dandelion is a flower that is usually yellow but is also known to have “puffs” that people can easily blow and these puffs get dispersed to the wind. A dandelion is translated as “lion’s tooth” in French. Taking this translation, this flower can mean pride, courage, and family.

But flowers aren’t the only things that can be very detailed yet simple at the same time. Take a look at this henna tattoo. A henna tattoo is often referred to as the tattoos that are temporary. These are the ones people usually get when they’re on the beach. Of course, henna tattoos are much more than that. It can also be a kind of design. Take a look at some of these detailed henna tattoos.

What’s great about henna tattoos is that you can easily design something like this. They can be in a flower shape like the tattoo above, or in non-conventional shape like the foot tattoo you see below.

The more details you have, the more realistic your tattoo is going to be. Take a look at these designs. Even if some of them are fiction, they look as if they’re in 3D or at the very least, alive.

5. Feel free to play around with color.

Aside from adding a lot of detail, you can be flexible with the color you use. For example, this flower makes use of a blue and violet color palette but it is able to create a lot of depth with just these colors. These colors even give life to living things you choose to have on your skin.

The same style was used here with just touches of blue and orange blended together to create the perfect shading and filling.

If following a certain color palette isn’t your thing, then you can mix and match colors until they look like they belong to your tattoo. The tattoo below obviously doesn’t have the realistic colors a wolf has. However, just looking at the finished product, you can see that all the colors were able to work well together.

Another example is this henna-inspired flower. It’s not just the contrasting colors that make the whole tattoo design pop out, but it’s also because of the gradient effect in some areas of the tattoo. What you should remember when it comes to color is that you don’t have to make it colorful. You just have to know the right color combinations and the proper shading.

Here’s another gradient colored design but doesn’t make use of a lot of colors. The shading here makes the lion very close to looking like the real one.

Here are other foot tattoo designs that played with color:

6. Be creative with the placing.

Yes, foot tattoos are called as such simply because they are placed on top of your foot. However, you can still be creative as to where to place them so that you don’t give much away. Take a look at these strategically-placed tattoos.

And you can even place them underneath your feet! Take a look at this tattoo that is under your sole. Although beware of the tickles!

With so many foot tattoo designs to choose from, it can be overwhelming to just pick one design. But who says that you should only get one theme for your tattoo? Take a look at these tattoos that nailed mixing and matching. You might find something you like too!